


Bring Out the Lady

by Paul A (pedanther)



Category: Chess (Board Game)
Genre: Gen, Misses Clause Challenge, POV Third Person, Present Tense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 10:51:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2809646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pedanther/pseuds/Paul%20A
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The queen moves fast. The king can't keep up with her. There's a reason for that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bring Out the Lady

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lemonstiles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonstiles/gifts).



As the queen walks down the long corridor that runs from the throne room to the great entrance of the palace, preparing her mind for the task ahead, her gait shifts from the short, careful steps that go with lavish dresses and robes of state to a long, easy, distance-eating stride.

She's almost reached the great entrance when a voice behind her calls, "Mama, wait!"

Turning, she sees the king walking down the corridor after her, his progress considerably hampered by the small princess clinging to his leg.

Despite herself, one corner of her mouth hitches up as she walks back to them. "You won't get far like that, you know." She kneels down to look their daughter in the eye. "You'd get on much faster if you let your father carry you."

"I'm too big to be carried now," the princess says firmly, and tightens her grip.

"Anyhow," says the queen, giving a pointed look to the owner of the leg, "you should stay in the throne room. It's not safe outside while there's a battle going on."

"If it's not safe," asks the princess in tones of utter reason, "why are you going out?"

"Because I am the queen," says the queen.

"How long until I'm queen and I can go out whenever I like?"

"Years and years and _years_ ," the king says, his teasing tone not quite hiding another note in his voice which suggests he's thought of the same possibility the queen has. She takes his hand, and their daughter's, and looks from one to the other.

"I'm not finished being queen yet," she promises. "Not by a long way. But one day," she tells the princess, "you will be able to go out and travel from one end of the land to the other, and nobody will stop you. And one day, you will be queen."

She lets go their hands, kisses each of them on the cheek. "And now," she says, "I have to go. You both stay here, where His Grace and the Knight Commander can get to you easily if there's any trouble. I'll be back when I can."

The king and the princess watch the queen go, the sunlight through the stained-glass windows striking colourful highlights off her armour and weapons. Then the king turns back toward the throne room, pivoting on the leg still weighed down by his daughter.

She reaches up and tugs on his tunic. "If we have to stay inside, can we watch out a window or something? I want to see Mama smite the Red Knight."

"I'll think about it. Come on, it's time for your nap."


End file.
